Rahm Emanuel: “Washington Needs a Power Wash”

Rahm Emanuel joins Michael for a wide-ranging conversation on ethics, aging leadership, and the future of American politics. The former congressman, Chicago mayor, White House chief of staff, and U.S. ambassador argues for mandatory retirement at 75, sweeping ethics reform, and what he calls a much-needed “power wash” of Washington. Emanuel also weighs in on the economy, consumer confidence, healthcare costs, immigration enforcement, and whether there’s a path forward for his brand of politics in today’s Democratic Party. Original air date 29 January 2026.

Episode 1718 of the The Smerconish Podcast podcast, hosted by Michael Smerconish, Rahm Emanuel, titled "Rahm Emanuel: “Washington Needs a Power Wash”" was published on January 29, 2026 and runs 26 minutes.

January 29, 2026 ·26m · The Smerconish Podcast

Summary

Rahm Emanuel joins Michael for a wide-ranging conversation on ethics, aging leadership, and the future of American politics. The former congressman, Chicago mayor, White House chief of staff, and U.S. ambassador argues for mandatory retirement at 75, sweeping ethics reform, and what he calls a much-needed “power wash” of Washington. Emanuel also weighs in on the economy, consumer confidence, healthcare costs, immigration enforcement, and whether there’s a path forward for his brand of politics in today’s Democratic Party. Original air date 29 January 2026.

Episode Description